The invention refers to an apparatus for treating prepared specimens that comprises at least two container rows arranged in parallel fashion, each container row having a plurality of reagent containers that are filled with different reagents. The apparatus further comprises a transport mechanism for transporting at least one transport container. The transport container receives at least one carrier on which at least one prepared specimen is mounted. The transport mechanism is movable at least in the direction of an X axis along the longitudinal axis of the container rows, and in a Z axis arranged transversely to the X axis.
An apparatus of this kind for treating prepared specimens is known, for example, from the document GB 2 359 130 A. In this apparatus, two container rows are arranged in parallel fashion directly next to one another, producing a matrix-like structure. Individual carriers, or transport baskets having multiple carriers, are immersed into the containers filled with reagents, or removed from the containers, by way of a slider-like transport mechanism. The apparatus further comprises a heating unit to heat the prepared specimens or to melt the medium in which the prepared specimens are embedded.
A further apparatus for treating prepared specimens is known from the document EP 0 884 577 B1. The apparatus takes the form of a cabinet. The apparatus comprises a lower and an upper plate on each of which are arranged multiple reagent containers. The apparatus further comprises a transport mechanism with which transport baskets, in which carriers having the prepared specimens are located, can be transported between the individual reagent containers. The upper plate further comprises a passthrough through which the transport baskets can be transported from the upper plate to the lower plate.
A further apparatus for treating prepared specimens is known from the document EP 0 849 582 B1. The apparatus comprises multiple reagent containers that are arranged in a matrix-like structure in one tier. The apparatus furthermore comprises a transport mechanism that transports the carriers having the prepared specimens, or transport baskets having the carriers, between the reagent containers.
A disadvantage of the known apparatuses for treating prepared specimens is the low throughput of prepared specimens resulting from the configuration of the apparatuses for treating prepared specimens. As a rule, multiple transport containers are treated simultaneously in the apparatus. Because the known apparatuses each comprise only one transport mechanism, the transport time duration of the transport containers is the factor that limits the throughput of prepared specimens. Because the speed at which the transport containers are transported cannot be arbitrarily increased, the prepared-specimen throughput of the apparatuses is limited. As a result of the matrix-like arrangement of the transport containers in one or more tiers, the transport distances that must be traversed by a transport container during transport from one reagent container to another is relatively large, and the transport time duration is long. The use of multiple transport mechanisms in one apparatus is problematic because overlaps occur between the working regions of the individual transport mechanisms, thereby creating a risk of collisions of the transport containers or carriers. This can result in damage to the carriers and/or to the prepared specimens. A complex control mechanism of correspondingly high calculation complexity is necessary in order to avoid such collisions.
A further problem with apparatuses for treating prepared specimens is the contamination of reagents in one reagent container by other reagents. In general, as a transport container or carrier is transported from one reagent container to a subsequent reagent container, other reagent containers are traveled over. Reagents of the reagent container in which the transport container was most recently located usually still adhere to the transport container or carrier. Gravity causes the formation of droplets that, as the transport container or carrier travels over the reagent containers, drip off and into the reagent containers being traveled over, thus contaminating the reagents present in the reagent containers being traveled over.
The apparatus for treating prepared specimens that is known from the document EP 0 849 582 B1 therefore comprises a unit that, during transport of a transport container, is pivoted beneath the transport container in order thereby to prevent the contamination of reagent containers that are traveled over during transport. An absorbent material is advantageously applied onto this unit in order to prevent reagents from dripping off the unit. The disadvantages of this apparatus are on the one hand that an additional mechanism is necessary, and on the other hand that a corresponding control complexity is created. It is furthermore disadvantageous that the absorbent material must be regularly replaced.